One brave swimmer is taking a dip a day throughout December in the rivers of Surrey and Berkshire, and finding ‘the nip of the water and the zing of a swim is quite addictive’
• For a calendar of festive swims in the UK visit outdoorswimmingsociety.com
My toes sink into the mud at the edge of the river Mole at the bottom of Box Hill in Surrey. The water immediately cools my feet beyond feeling. I had hoped for a quirky swim here. Normally there are stepping stones that cross the river at this point, and I pictured myself skipping over them in my swimsuit. But the reality is quite different. After significant rain and snow melt, I should have known the river would be higher than usual. The spot – tranquil in all the photos I had looked at – was now a rushing, fast flowing river. And the colour of chocolate milkshake, rather than the clear water I’d pictured. Oh well, I have swum in worse.
I step gingerly into the unknown. I find the stepping stones under my feet and try to walk across them, but with the strong current against my legs it’s no use, so I just get in. I fumble into the water with zero grace. The water feels silty and leaves brush against my body rushing downstream.
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Source: Gaurdian
